The Whodunit Detective Agency
(also known as JerryMaya's Detective Agency, sv, LasseMajas detektivbyrå – "LasseMaja's Detective Agency") is a
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
children's book series
Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader.
Children's ...
written by
Martin Widmark
Karl Martin Widmark (born 19 March 1961) is a Swedish children's writer and teacher. His books about LasseMaja junior mysteries, in English named The Whodunit Detective Agency, have been translated from Swedish into 34 languages. Eight of them ha ...
and illustrated by
Helena Willis. In the English translation, it is called "The JerryMaya detective agency".
Between 2014 and 2016 eight of the books were published in English by
Grosset and Dunlap
Grosset & Dunlap is a New York City-based publishing house founded in 1898.
The company was purchased by G. P. Putnam's Sons in 1982 and today is part of Penguin Random House through its subsidiary Penguin Group.
Today, through the Penguin Gro ...
, an imprint of
Penguin Random House
Penguin Random House LLC is an Anglo-American multinational corporation, multinational conglomerate (company), conglomerate publishing company formed on July 1, 2013, from the merger of Penguin Group and Random House.
On April 2, 2020, Bertels ...
.
Besides the books there are games, puzzles, etc.
A television series based on the books has been produced in Sweden.
Series concept
This book series is about two children called Lasse (a common Swedish nickname for
Lars
Lars is a common male name in Scandinavian countries.
Origin
''Lars'' means "from the city of Laurentum". Lars is derived from the Latin name Laurentius, which means "from Laurentum" or "crowned with laurel".
A homonymous Etruscan name was borne ...
) and Maja (in English, they are called Jerry and Maya) who live in the little city Valleby (in English, it is called Pleasant Valley). They like mysteries, so they have started a detective agency and help the police master of Valleby.
Books
A list of the books:
*2002 - 1. Diamantmysteriet ("''The Diamond Mystery''", translated by Julie Martin)
*2002 - 2. Hotellmysteriet ("''The Hotel Mystery''", translated by Julie Hazelryst, 2012)
*2003 - 3. Cirkusmysteriet ("''The Circus Mystery''")
*2003 - 4. Cafémysteriet ("''The Cafe Mystery''")
*2004 - 5. Mumiemysteriet ("''The Mummy Mystery''")
*2004 - 6. Biografmysteriet ("''The Movie Theater Mystery''")
*2005 - 7. Tågmysteriet ("''The Train Mystery''")
*2005 - 8. Tidningsmysteriet ("''The Magazine Mystery''")
*2006 - 9. Skolmysteriet ("''The School Mystery''")
*2006 - 10. Guldmysteriet ("''The Gold Mystery''")
*2006 - 11. Saffransmysteriet ("''The Saffron Mystery''")
*2007 - 12. Zoomysteriet ("''The Zoo Mystery''")
*2007 - 13. Biblioteksmysteriet ("''The Library Mystery''")
*2008 - 14. Fotbollsmysteriet ("''The Football Mystery''")
*2008 - 15. Kyrkomysteriet ("''The Church Mystery''")
*2009 - 16. Kärleksmysteriet ("''The Love Mystery''")
*2009 - 17. Galoppmysteriet ("''The Gallop Mystery''")
*2010 - 18. Campingsmysteriet ("''The Camping Mystery''")
*2011 - 19. Sjukhusmysteriet ("''The Hospital Mystery''")
*2011 - 20. Simborgarmysteriet ("''The Swimming Pool Mystery''")
*2012 - 21. Födelsedagsmysteriet ("''The Birthday Mystery''")
*2013 - 22. Cykelmysteriet ("''The Bicycle Mystery''")
*2014 - 23. Brandkårsmysteriet ("''The Fire Department Mystery''")
*2015 - 24. Fängelsemysteriet ("''The Prison Mystery''")
*2016 - 25. Modemysteriet ("''The Fashion Mystery''")
*2017 - 26. Slottsmysteriet ("''The Castle Mystery''")
*2018 - 27. Silvermysteriet ("''The Silver Mystery''")
TV-series and films
In 2006,
a TV-series based on the books was broadcast as ''
julkalendern
''Swedish Television's Christmas calendar'' ( sv, Sveriges Televisions julkalender) or ''Swedish Television's Advent calendar'' ( sv, Sveriges Televisions adventskalender) is a Christmas calendar TV series mainly for children, broadcast by Sve ...
''. In 2008, the film ''
LasseMaja's Detective Agency – The Chameleon Strikes Back'', which followed up the TV-series, was produced.
Several films have been made since, including a TV-series from 2020.
*
LasseMaja's Detective Agency – The Chameleon Strikes Back (2008)
*
LasseMaja's Detective Agency – Shadows of Valleby (2014)
*
LasseMaja's Detective Agency – Stella Nostra (2015)
*
LasseMaja's Detective Agency – von Broms' Secret (2013)
*
LasseMaja's Detective Agency – The First Mystery (2018)
*
LasseMaja's Detective Agency – The Secret of the Train Robber (upcoming)
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whodunit Detective Agency
Series of children's books
Swedish children's literature
Detective fiction
Children's mystery novels